Commercial package



Oct. 18, 1932. T, w,A R055 1,882,946

COMMERCIAL PAVKAGE Filed Jan. 14, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet v l f3 4 J0 J4 Z6' i INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY Oct. 18, 1932 T. W. Ross 1,882,946-

COMMERCIAL PACKAGE Filed Jan. 14, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 54 F' .6. 5,3 @5.2 fs i ya 34 73 `0 43 J5 43 6L ATTORNEYS Patented Oct. 18, 1932 Unirse STATES PATENT oFFTcs.

TAYLOR W. ROSS, F MADISON, INDIANA, VASSIGNOR TO THOMAS GRAHAM & COMPANY, OF MADISON, INDIANA, A CORPORATION OF INDIANA COMMERCIAL PAGKAGE Application med January 14, 1931. serial No. 508,607.

The present application relates to a commercial package, and more particularly to a commercial package comprising a desk and chair, the desk and chair being collapsible,

so that the elements thereof may be nested in such a manner as tooccupy a minimum of space and to present, when nested, a compact and more or less regularly shaped unit well adapted to packing in paper cartons. The

application further relates to a commercial package comprising simply a collapsible chair, the sections or elements thereof being so stacked and nested as to be conveniently adapted for packing and shipping in a pa per carton.

In addition to the objects above outlined, further objects of the invention will appear as the description proceeds.

To the accomplishment of the above and related objects, my invention maybe embodied in the form illustrated in the accom-Y panying drawings, attention being called to the fact, however, that the drawings are illustrative only, and that change may be made in the specific construction illustrated and described, so long as the scope of the appended claims is not violated.

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a desk and chair, both in assembled condition;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the chair il lustrated in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a transverse section through the desk and chair in collapsed and nested condition ready for insertion in a carton;

Fig. 4 is a front elevation thereof, certain parts `being broken away or shown in section for clarity of illustration;

Fig. 5 is a fragmental horizontal section of a detail of the desk construction;

Fig. 6 is a bottom plan view of the chair of Fig. 1 disassembled, and with its sections in stacked and nested relation;

Fig. 7 is a front elevation of an alternative form of chair in assembled condition; a5 Fig. 8 is a side elevationthereof;

Fig. 9 is a plan view of said chair, disassembled and with its sections in stacked and nested relation; and Y Fig. 10 is a side elevation thereof.

Referring more particularly to Figs.` 1 to 6 of the drawings, it will be seen that I have shown a desk top indicated generally at 10 and provided with four detachable legs 11, 12, 13, and 14. Y

The desk top 10 comprises a floor 15 upon which are mounted 'a pair of spaced parallel upstanding side walls 16 and 17, the front edges of said walls curving, as sho-wn, upwardly and rearwardly. The desk top in-V cludes also a back wall 'and a top wall, the top wall having a depth materially less than that of the floor.

Each of the side Walls is formed adjacent its curved edge with a slot 18 following the curvature of said edge, and said slots continue rearwardly to points somewhat in advance of the back wall and then extend downlwardly, therefrom. As will be-obvious, the

usual slatted roll top 19 is mountedto operate in said slots 18, and is provided at its outer end with a stop rail 20, likewise lmovable in the slots.

A false back wall 21 is mounted on the floor 15, being spaced from the back Wall of the desk by a block 24. Said wall 21 carries a shelf 22 spaced below the top Wall of the desk and having its front edge substantially in the plane of the frontedge of said top wall. Said wall 21 and shelf 22 form, together with a wall 22, 'a boX openat its forward side and divided by partitions 23 into a plurality of pigeon holes;

To the lower surface of the fioor 15 there are secured four members 25 cooperating to form a substantially closed flange depending from said lower surface. The adjacent ends of the respective members 25 kare slightly spaced for the reception of the legs, 11, 12, 13, and 14. As is clearly shown in Fig. 5, 'a'bracket 26 is mounted at each corner ofthe depending flange, the opposite ends of each bracket being secured to the adjacent portions of two members 25. Each leg is provided with a stud 27 projecting from a corner thereof, and each of said studs is adapted, when the desk is assembled, to extend through 'an aperture in a bracketv 26. Each stud 27 is threaded at its inner end for thev reception of a nut 28 adapted to engage the inner surface of one of the brackets 26 and,

since the outer end 29 of each of said studs is threaded into one of the legs, it will be obvious that this arrangen'ient provides for securing the legs firmly to the desk.

The chair, illustrated in assembled condition in Figs. l and 2, comprises a. pair of allochiral base sections 30 and 3l. Each of said sections comprises a front leg 32, a back leg 33, a stringer 34 extending between the upper ends of Said legs and secured theretoy by pins 35, and a. stringer 33 extending between said legs intermediate their ends and secured thereto by pins 37. Each back leg 33 is formed with an extension 33 projecting above the Stringer 34, the front surface of said extension being inclined upwardly and rearwardly as at 39, and the upper surface of said extension being inclined downwardly and rearwardly as at 40.

rl`he chair further comprises 'a back section 4l comprising a pair of standards 42 and 43. At their upper ends the standards are notched, as at 44, for the reception of a Stringer and a stringe-r 46 extends between said standards adjacent their lower ends and is secured thereto by pins 47. rlhe facing edges of the members 45 and 46 are grooved for the reception of theopposite ends of a plurality of lslats 43.

As is clearly shown in Figs. l and 2, the standards 42 and 43 project beyond and below the Stringer 46, the projections of said standards being formed with surfaces 49 and 50 for cooperation, respectively with the surfaces 39 and 40 of the extensions 38 of the back legs 33. As is shown in Fig. 2, the backsection is secured to the base sections by means of screws 52, or other equivalent fastening means, passing .nrough the projections of the standards 42 `and. 43 and into the portions 38 of the back legs 33.

The chair further comprises a seat section indicated generally at 5l. Said seat section comprises a fiat surface 54, preferably made up of a plurality of slats, and to the under surface of said slats there is secured a plurality of members forming, with the slatted portion, .a boi; open at its bottom side. One of said members is indicated at 53 in Fig. 2.

A Stringer 55 extends between the two stringers 36, and is Secured thereto by screws 56, or other equivalent fastening means. The seat section is secured in place by screws 57 passing through the upper ends of the legs 32 and into the member 53, and by screws 58 passing through the back legs 33 and into another one of the depending members secured to the portion 54.

As shown, the desk top is provided. within the space defined by the members 25, with a slideway for the reception of a slidable drawer 59.

`When the desk and chair are to be shipped, the legs ll, l2, 13, and 14 are removed from Lesaezie the desk top l0, and are assembled substantially in the manner shown in Fig. In this arrangement, packing material may be inserted between adjacent legs before the four legs are bound together by a metal band 90, or in any other manner. As shown in Figs. 3 and 4, a metal band 90 surrounds theing the back section and the seat section from Y the base sections, and by removing the Stringer 55 therefrom, thus separating the chair into five sections. y i

The seat section is then nested with the back section, the standards 42 and 43 being pressed down over the surface 54 of the seat section 51. As is obvious from an inspection of Fig. 2, the width of the seat section is Avery slightly less than the distance between the facing surfaces of the standards 42 and 43, so that a press fit is provided between these two elements. The Stringer 55 is then placed within the box formed on the bottom surface of the seat section by the element 53 and its cooperating elements. Preferably the Stringer 55 ris wrapped in paper before it is so inserted, to prevent scarring, and it will be seen from inspection of Fig. 6 that 'the length of the Stringer 55 is substantially equal to the distance between the facing surfaces of the element'53 and the element parallel therewith. A pair of brads or nails are preferably driven lightly into the clement 53 and the element parallel therewith to retain the Stringer 55 in place. y

The nested sections 5l and 4l are then laid on the floor l5 of the desk top l0, andit will be seen from an inspection of Fig. 3 that said sections are so proportioned that they'do not project beyond the limits of the floor l5. rlhe base section 30 is then placed on top of the back section 4l, and the base section is disposed on top of the base section 30. Preferably, the front legs of both sections are inserted first, and preferably the two sections are reversely positioned so that the projections 38 thereof are at opposite endsiof the stack of chair sections.

Preferably, paper or other packing material (not shown) is introduced between all of' the chair sections, and between the chair sections and the desk elements, to prevent scarring. Packing material is suitably disposed within the desk top to prevent shifting of the chair sections therein.

CIJ

The package of desk legs is now placed upon the curved edges of the Walls 16 and 17, and cords or metal strips are placed about the complete package to hold all of the elements thereof in place, being separated from the elements of the package by packing material. Thereafter, the completed package is inserted in a carton of suitable size and shape, it being noted that no element of the chair, and no portion of any legs projects beyond the limits of the desk top. lVhen the elements are assembled in this manner, a package of substantially rectangular cross section in both directions is provided.

As is shown in Fig. 3, the legs yare so positioned that the studs 27 are located within the desk top. When the legs are assembled in the manner shown in Fig. 3, all of said studs Contact the inner surface of the wall 17 lVhen, however, the various legsare alternately arranged, the studs of one pair of legs will engage the inner surface of the wall 17, while the studs of the other pair of legs will engage the inner surface of the Wall 16, thus holding the package of legs against longitudinal shiftin Referring, now, more particularly to Figs. 7 to 10 inclusive, it will be seen that I have illustrated another form of chair vcomprising a pair of base sections 61 kand 62, a seat section 63, and a back section 64:. Each of the base sections comprises a front leg 65,`a back leg 66 having an upward extension 66l of a length substantially equal to the length 67 extending between the frontand back legs at a level intermediate the ends of the front legs, and a Stringer 67 extending between the front and back legs at the upper end of the front leg. Each of the back legs is provided, at the upper end of its extension 66 with a notch 68.

The seat section-63 comprises a strip 69, a strip 70 parallel therewith, a strip 71 eX- tending between the strips 69 and 70 adjacent their one ends, and a strip 72 extending between the strips 69 and 70 adjacent their opposite ends, whereby the strips 69, 70, 71, and 72 forni a crossed rectangle. The seat bottom is formed by a plurality. of slats 73 crossing one face of the rectangle, elements are assembled in this manner, a package of .substantially rectangular cross section in both directions is provided.

` As is shown in Fig. 3, the legs are so positioned that the studs 27 are located within the desk top. Then the legs are assembled in the manner shown in Fig. 3, all of said studs contact the inner surface of the wall 17. When, however, the various legs are alternately arranged, the studs of one pair of legs will engage the inner 'surface of the wall 17, while the studs of the other pair ofV legs will engage the inner surface of the wall 16, thus holding the packageof legs against longitudinal shifting.

projections and into `the elements 66.

Referring now more narticularl to Figs.

ba i o 7 to 10 inclusive, it will be seen that I have illustrated another form of chaircoin risinel b a pair of base sections61 and 62, a seat section 63 and a back section 64. Each oi' the 7 1 r, base sections comprises a front ieg o5, a back le(T 66 having an n ward extension 66 of a as L b v l lenoth substantiall e ual to the length of l c@ "C nie iront leg 65, a Stringer 6( extending between the front and back legs at a level intermediate the ends of the yfront leg, and a Stringer 67 exit-endingy between the front and back legs at the upper endfof the front leg.

Each of the back legs is provided, at the upper end of its extension 66 with a` notch 68.

The seat section 63 comprises a strip 69, a strip 79. parallel therewitl'i, a strip 7l ing between the strips 69 and 70 adjacent their one ends, and a strip .72 extending between t-he strips 69 and 7 O adjacent tneir opposite ends, whereby the strips 69, 70, 71, and 72 forin a closed rectangle. The seat bottoni is formed by a plurality of'siats 7 3 closing one face of the rectangle, and the opposite face of therectangle is left Aopen is clearly shown in Fig. 9.

The seat is assembled with the base sections, with its upper surface flush with t ie upper ends of the legs 6.5, and is secured thereto by screws 7 4, or equivalent fasteni means, passing through the upper ends of said legs 65 and into .the strip 69, and by screws 75 passing through the legs 66 and into the strip 70.

The back section 64 comprises a stringe-r or cross piece 7 6, and a Stringer 77 having projections 78 and 79 extending beyond t1 e ends of the stringer 76. Said projections 78 and 79 are respectively receivedvin the notches n in 1 entendbo the upper ends of the projections 66 of the back legs 66 of the base sections 61 62, and are secured inl place by screws 80, or equivalent fastening means, passing through said rlhe facing surfaces of the stringere .76 and 77 are slotted, as at 87 and 88, respectively, for the reception of the opposite ends of slats 81 and 82, completing the back section. The Stringer 76 is secured in place by screws 83 passing.

through the extensions 66 and into said Stringer 76.

A Stringer 84 extends between the stringere 67 of the base sections 61 and 62, and is secured thereto by screws 86, or equivalent fastening means, passing through said stringereA 67 and into the stringer 8e.

vWhen the chair of Figs. 7 to 10 is disassembled, it is separated into live parts; viz, the base sections 61 and 62, the seat section 63, the back section 64, and the Stringer 'll' ese elements are stacked and nested for packing by placing'tlie base sections 61 and 62 in reversed facing arrangement, so that the back legs 66 of one of said sections coincides with the front log 65 of the other of said sections. As shown, the section 61 is superimposed on the section 62, whereby the eX- tcnsion 66 and the Stringer 67 of the section 6l torni two sides of a socket, the bottoni oit which is formed by the leg 66, the leg 65, and the stringers 67 and 67 of the section 62. n this socket is nested the seat section 63, said section being arranged with its slats 73 in facing engagement with the base section 62, and with one face of the strip 69 in contact with the stringer 67 of the section 6l and with the corresponding ends of the strip 69 and the slats 73 in contact with the extension 66 of the section 6l.Y The back section 6d is laid upon the outer surface of the section 6l, with the stringers 76 and 76 in 'lacing engagement with the legs 65 and 66 of the section 6l, and with the lower edge of the stringer 6 in contact with the outer face of the strip 69 of the seat section 63.

It will be noted that the parts are so proportioned that the two base sections 6l and 62, when stacked, form a substantially rectangular ligure, and that no portion of either the seat section 63 or the back section 64 projects beyond t-he limits of that rectangle.

The stringer 84 is nested within the boX formed by the strips 69, 70, Y1, and 72 and the slats 78, the length of said stringer being substantially equal to the length ot the. strips .71 and .72. Sid stringer may be secured in place in any suitable manner, such, for instance, as that. employed with respect to th stringer 55, and shown in Fig. 6; but in Fig. 9 l have shown a strip of material 86 oit av width substantially equal to the combined thickness ot the strip 72 and the stringer 84, said strip 86 overlying, and being lightly tacked to, the strip 72 and the Stringer 84.

l have also shown in Fig. 9 a package 89 containing screws, or other fastening means for use in assembling the chair, secured in place within the box formed on the under surtace of the seat section 63.

It will be obvious that the chair herein disclosed, with its sections arranged as shown and described, may be nested within a. desk in the manner shown in Figs. 3 and 4, or it may be packed for shipment separately in a separate carton.

l claim as my invention:

l. A commercial package comprising a desk top including a floor and a pair ot substantially parallel upstanding side walls, a collapsible chair including a plurality of separate sections nested between said side walls on said tloor, and a plurality of legs for said desk top stacked upon each other, said legs extending transversely of said desk top and abutting an edge ot each of said side walls.

2. il. commercial package comprising a desk top including .a tloor and a pair of substantially parallel upstanding side walls, a collapsible chair including a plurality of separate sections nested between said side walls on said floor, and a plurality o'l. legs for said desk top, each ot said legs being provided adjacent one end with a. laterally project-ing stud for assembling said legs with said desk top, and said legs being stacked upon each other, extending transversely of said desk top in contact with the front edges of both of said walls, each of said studs contacting the inner surface of one of said walls.

3. A commercial package comprising a desk top including a floor and a pair oi" substantially parallel upstanding side walls, a collapsible chair including a plurality of separate sections nested between said side walls on said floor, and a plurality ot legs for said desk top, each of said legs being provided adjacent one end with a laterally projecting stud for assembling said legs with said desk top, and said legs being stacked upon each other, extending transversely of said desk top in contact with the Jfront edges oi both ot said walls, the studs of alternate ones of said legs contacting the inner surface of one of said walls, and the studs of the rcimaining legs contacting the inner surface of the other of said walls.

il. A. commercial package comprising a desk top including a lioor and a pair of substantially parallel upstanding side. walls, the front edge of each ot said walls curving upwardly and rearwardly from said floor, a collapsible chair including a plurality of separate sections nested between said side walls on said floor, and a plurality of legs for said desk top stacked upon each other, said legs extending transversely of said desk top and being partially supported on the curved front edges of said side walls.

5. A commercial package comprising a desk top including a floor and a pair of substantially parallel upstanding side walls, a collapsible chair including a seat section lying on said door and between said walls, a back section lying on said seat section, a base section lying on said back section and comprising a front leg, a back leg, and a pair of stringers extending between said front and back legs and secured thereto, a similar base section superimposed on said first base sec tion, all of said chair sections being so proportioned as not to project beyond the limits ot said floor, and a plurality of legs tor said desk top stacked upon each other, said legs extending transversely of said desk top and abutting an edge of each of said side walls.

6. A commercial package comprising a desk top including a floor and a pair of substantially parallel upstanding side walls, a collapsible chair including a seat section provided, on its under side, with depending members forming a box open at one side, a member carried in said box, said seat section lying, with the open side of said box lowermost, on said floor, a back section on said seat section, said back section having flanges receiving the upper portion of said seat section in snugly nested relation, a pair of base sections lying on said back section and each comprising a front leg, aback leg, and a Stringer extending between said front and back legsv and secured thereto, said member in said box being adapted, when said chair is assembled, to extend between and be secured to said respective stringers, all of said chair elements being so proportioned as not to extend beyond the limits of said floor, and a plurality rially less than that of said floor and a shelf underlying said top wall and of substantially coincident extent therewith, a collapsible chair comprising a plurality of sections stacked and nested upon each other, said chair sections being received within said desk top, the lowermost of said sections resting on said floor and the uppermost of said sections extending beneath said shelf and being spaced very slightly therebelow, packing material inserted between said chair sections and the elements of said desk top to prevent shifting of the former in the latter, and a plurality of legs for said desk top spanning said side walls and secured thereto.

S. A commercial package comprising a pair of similar base sections reversely arranged in contact with each other, and a seat section and a back section arranged side by side in facing contact with said base sections.

9. A commercial package comprising a chair base section including a front leg, a back leg extending upwardly beyond the upper end of said front leg and having a length substantially twice that of said front leg, and a pair of parallel stringere extending between said front and back legs and secured thereto, a. second base section similar to said first base section and arranged in facing contact therewith with the top end of its back leg in registry with the bottom end of the front leg of said first base section, a seat section arranged in facing engagement with the stringers of said rst base section, and a back section arranged in facing engagement with the stringers of said second base section.

l0. A commercial package comprising a chair base section including a front leg, a back leg extending upwardly beyond the upper end of said front leg and having a length substantially twice that of said front leg, and a pair of parallel stringers extending between said frontand back legs and secured thereto, a. second base section similar to said first base section and arranged in facing contact therewith with the top end of its back leg in registry with the bottom end of the front leg of said first base section, a seat section arranged in facing engagement, with the stringers of said first base section, and a backsection arranged in facing engagement with the stringers of said second base section and in contact with said seat section. f l

' llA commercial package comprising a chair base section including a front leg, a back leg extending upwardly beyond the upper end of saidfront leg and having a length substantially twice that of said front leg, and a parallel stringers extending between saidfront and back legs and secured thereto, a second base section similar to said first base section and arranged'in facing contact therewith with the top end of its back leg in registry with the bottom end of the front leg o2.. aid first base section, a seat section arranged in facing engagement with the stringers` of said first base section, a back section arranged in facing engagement with the stringers of said second base section, an element adapted, when said chair sections are assembled, to extend between and be secured to corresponding stringers` of said base sec tions, and means securing said element to saidseat section.

l2. A commercial package comprising a chair base section including a front leg, a back leg extending upwardly beyond the upper end of said front leg and having a length substantially twice that of said front leg, and a pair of parallel stringers extending between said front and back legs and secured thereto, a second base section similar to said lirst base section and arranged in facing contact therewith with the top end of its back leg in registry with the bottom end of the front leg of said first base section, a seat section provided on its under surface with a depending flange forming, with said seat section, a box open at its one side, an element adapted, when said chair sections are assembled, to extend between and be secured to corresponding stringers of said base sections, said element being proportioned to fit snugly between two opposite portions of said flange, a member secured to said element and to said flange, said seat section being arranged in facing engagement with the stringers of said first base section, and a back section arranged in facing engagement with the stringers of said second base section.

13. A commercial package comprising a desk top vincluding a floor and a pair of upstanding side walls, and a collapsible chair received on said floor between said side walls an comprising a chair base section including a front leg, a back leg extending upwardly beyond the upper end of said front leg and having alength substantially twice that of said front leg, and a pair of parallel stringers extending between said front and back legs and secured thereto, a second base secpar ISL

tion similar to Ysaid first base section and arranged in facing contact therewith with the top end of its back leg in registry With the bottom end of the front leg of said first base section, a. seat section arranged in facing engagernent with the stringere; of said first base section, and a back section arranged in facing engagement with the stringere of said second base section.

In Witness whereof, I TAYLOR W. ROSS have hereunto set my hand at Madison, Indiana, this 27th day of December, A. D. one thousand nine hundred and thirty.

TAYLOR W. ROSS. 

